Heat shields

According to the BBC, the heatwave in Sindh has claimed nearly 700 lives in four days. It seems excessive loadshedding is compounding the agony of people. Summer months have never been easy but climate changes is heating up the earth beyond the heat-tolerance level of people. Beside climate change, though, has it not been due to our own wrongdoings as well? There are certain ‘sins’ we earthlings are committing and the greatest is the massive cutting of trees. A weak economy, its associated hardships and the general dishonesty of people are depriving that region of millions of trees.
During the days of Ayub Khan a massive tree plantation drive was carried out, though its prime motive was to camouflage our road networks in the wake of a war. It worked. With the passage of time however the credibility of governments faded and people started destroying national property. In 1994, a huge campaign was carried out at the behest of the UNO/World Bank to plant trees in order to fight climate change. This time the government not only planted millions of trees but also protected them with barbed wires around. But those saplings were never allowed to grow into trees because people did not take care of them. Not only this, the barbed wires were stolen too and sold to satisfy greed. Pakistan needs a tree plantation drive on a war footing while people should also be educated about the importance of trees.
Bahadar Ali Khan
Toronto
Canada